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Something on your mind? Chat about it here. I am slo-o-ooo-owly coming around to the wedge sneaker trend. Originally, I hated them — I think they remind me too much of the undone-high-top trend from my youth, and my general attitude is that if my feet are suffering in heels then I want the “credit” for wearing something ladylike and pretty. Still: there is no denying that wedge sneakers are HUGELY popular right now. I can see the appeal, I guess — comfortable, trendy shoes that make you taller and make your legs look thinner! I still think they’re ugly as sin, but my thoughts are now along the lines of, “ok, it’s a cool modern look when worn with leggings and a slouchy sweater.” I am not so on board, however, that I think you should spend a lot of money on the trend — which is why these highly rated $99 sneakers from Steve Madden strike my fancy this week. They’re available in black and taupe. Steve Madden Olympiaa (L-2)Workwear sales of note for 4.18.24
Our favorites are in bold!
- Ann Taylor – 50% off full-price dresses, jackets & shoes; $30 off pants & skirts; extra 50% off sale styles
- Banana Republic Factory – Up to 50% off everything; extra 20% off purchase
- Boden – 25% off through 4/18; 15% off 4/19-20; 10% off 4/21
- Eloquii – 50% off select styles; 60% off swim; up to 40% off everything else
- Everlane – Spring Sale: up to 60% off 600+ styles
- J.Crew – Mid-Season Sale: Extra 60% off sale styles; up to 50% off spring-to-summer styles
- J.Crew Factory – Extra 20% off $125+; extra 25% of $150+; up to 60% off everything; extra 50% off clearance
- Nordstrom – Free 2-day shipping for a limited time (on eligible items)
- Talbots – Spring Sale: 40% off + extra 15% off all markdowns; 30% off new T by Talbots
- White House Black Market – 25% off entire purchase; $50 off $200
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Anon Thinking of Divorce
I want to thank everybody for the support and wisdom on Thursday when I posted about my should-I-stay-or-should-I-go dilemma.
Today I went out and rented an apartment, and came home and told my husband I am moving out April 6. I hate that it’s such a long time to wait, but the apartment won’t be ready until then.
He is shocked and devastated but so far his reaction is sad but not hostile. In the end I couldn’t bring myself to spring it on him and I think that was the right decision. And I didn’t say the D-word, I just said all I know is that I need to move out. Which is true.
You all really helped push me over the edge and for that I am truly thankful. It’s going to be a tough month but better days are coming.
NYNY
You’ve taken a huge step. Stay strong and be good to yourself.
Anon Thinking of Divorce
Thanks! We had theatre tickets for tonight and the Mr. doesn’t want to go, unsurprisingly, so I am going with my BFF. I think a girls’ night will be just what the doctor ordered.
goldribbons
Many people here have recommended Too Good To Leave, Too Bad To Stay, if you’re interested in some reading material to help you make this decision. Good luck!
Anon Thinking of Divorce
Read it some years ago and again recently. It did help.
Today I am working on the separate post-separation budgets. Yikes…
momentsofabsurdity
I may repost Monday for more visibility but —
Some of you may remember that my mom and I were planning a trip to Italy. Plans have changed and it now looks like we’re going to Peru. We’ve booked a tour which will hit the highlights (Machu Pichu, Cusco, etc) but would love people’s general tips or experience traveling in Peru, or South America in general. We’ll be going in May and I’m still looking into things like what to pack, safety, sights-not-to-be-missed, etc.
Bloom
I am so excited for you, my mom and I did this trip in August 2010, and both loved it! We started in Cusco and a tour of the Sacred Valley, then got the train to Machu Picchu, then back to Cusco for a couple of days, and then flew to Puno, which is on Lake T i t i c a c a and took a boat trip out of Puno to the Uros floating islands and Taquille Island. If your trip doesn’t include these last islands, I would look into it, Taquille was one of the highlights of our trip. The floating islands were a little touristy, but still interesting – essentially the islands are made out of reeds. Taquille was amazingly beautiful and had great views and knitted goods.
As for Machu Picchu, if your tour doesn’t include it, I would get a personal guide. I don’t think the cost was too bad, and my mom used a cane, so she didn’t want to worry about holding up a larger group or having to rush. This was such a perfect way to see the site, we had the same guide for two days. I split out on my own to climb higher than my mom was able to, and recommend the trek to the Sun Gate.
As far as general tips, the elevation in some parts of Peru is very high – we didn’t have too many problems with elevation sickness, but we drank a lot of the tea that was recommended (can’t remember the name, but it will be at all the hotels/restaurants), and lots of water. Also, dress in layers, at least in August the weather was colder than I expected. Wear long pants and good walking shoes, almost every tour stop involved some form of walking and the terrain was not always the easiest. I took a lined rain jacket and that was plenty for August weather. We always felt safe, but the usual advice of being aware of pickpockets and your surroundings applied of course. You can definitely haggle in the markets, which is good to keep in mind. I found my (Mexican) Spanish was not very useful, partly because the accents/dialect was so different and partly because most people on the tourist trail spoke enough English that it wasn’t needed.
Have an amazing trip! Oh and drink lots of pisco sours!
momentsofabsurdity
Thank you so much! This info is super helpful. I’m not sure if timewise we’ll be able to fit in Taquille Island, but I’ll run it by my mom. We are looking right now at starting in the Sacred Valley and Pisaq, doing one day at Macchu Pichu and two days in Cusco, then one final day in Lima.
Were there any dress/modesty requirements? Was it easy to find bottled water at most restaurants? We’ll probably stay pretty close to the beaten track (it’s the first time in South America, for me, and the first time in Peru for my mom) so I imagine we won’t stray too far from touristy areas. Anything you wish you had/had not packed and any particular things you did to keep safe from pickpocketers?
And thanks so much for your experience taking the trip with your mom. My mom is kind of worried that she won’t be able to keep up, especially at the altitude, so I’m relieved to hear you and your mom did okay. I’m going to try and go off on my own and do some of those separate trips – will definitely check out the trek to the Sun Gate. My mom has lived abroad but is still pretty concerned about us being American women alone in Peru so we’ll see if she can mentally handle me going off and doing my own thing for part of the time…
Thanks again for your advice!
Bloom
I’m glad it helped! If you aren’t straying far from the tourist path you absolutely do not need to worry about being women alone in Peru. Bottled water is very easy to find at the hotels, on the street, at all the tourist sites, etc. My mom and I did do some exploring on our own in Lima and in Cusco and never felt threatened or unsafe. I wore a slim-profile, over the shoulder purse with the zipper turned towards my body, but I tend to not take a lot of things with me in general. The only time we really needed to be fully conscious of our purses was out on the street and in the crowded market areas – the archaeological sites felt safer. As far as modesty, it wasn’t an issue at all. I don’t think I ever wore a tank top, however, because of the cooler temps, so I may not have noticed. The shortest pants I wore were capris, but I think reasonable shorts are fine if the weather allows. I regretted not bringing a hat – although I did buy one there – because the elevation is so high the sun is also very strong. This may be less problematic in May than it was in August. Overall, I packed basics – a couple pairs of jeans and khakis, comfortable shoes, loose comfortable layers, rain coat – and that was completely fine. We didn’t need to dress up more than that, even at our nicest hotels. This may vary based on your lodging and restaurant preferences, but especially outside of Lima things were very casual.
As far as traveling with your mom, we did go more slowly than our group at times, but we found that at both Macchu Pichu and the Sacred Valley it was really easy for me to climb higher/farther while my mom happily stayed on more stable ground and just enjoyed her surroundings. Also everyone we encountered was so willing to help and friendly that any anxiety I had about her using a cane, her knees holding up, etc. were totally erased.
Eternally Hopeful
I spent about a month travelling through Peru as part of a longer South America trip a couple of years ago. Loved it, you will have a great time. I basically agree with everything Bloom said.
The tea is called “mate de coca” — it’s made from coca leaves, so it’s a fun thing to try, but it has no narcotic effects and is safe, tasty and an important local tradition. It didn’t help my altitude sickness much, but they claim it does so maybe it’s an individual thing. I also liked a herbal tea called “mate de muña” available in some places.
The Pisac market is quite comprehensive and a better bet for souvenir-buying than Cusco or Lima given your schedule. There are some nice alpaca-wool and vicuña-wool goods at markets and souvenir stores, but the quality varies greatly so shop around before you buy, and definitely haggle. If you want expensive stuff, probably best to get it from a store for assured quality. I got a nice alpaca poncho that I like a lot. I paid something like $45 and got the seller in the store to discount it and throw in some free gloves. There are a ton of tourists going through this area and the locals definitely try and make some money off you, so either beware or pay up and call it part of the experience, depending on your budget and travelling style.
You will be perfectly safe, but just take common sense precautions — don’t flash lots of cash around, try not to be obviously lost anywhere, be observant. Googling “south america travel safety tips” will bring up many more tips on this subject. But as a lone woman, I felt safe everywhere in Peru.
Bottled water is easy and there are no modesty requirements — the weather wasn’t really warm enough for this to be an issue when I was there, though. Lima will probably be warmer because it’s at sea level. Maybe make sure you’re not wearing short shorts and a tank top to go into cathedrals, but other than that, you’ll be fine.
Peru has the best and most varied South American food, so enjoy yourselves! There are tons of things I would recommend — ceviche of any kind, tiradito (kind of a Japanese-influenced ceviche), any of the great tropical fruits (especially lúcuma and chirimoya) either on their own or in juices/desserts, etc. There is a tasty duck dish called “arroz con pato” that I really liked. I don’t know how brave you are, but I tried and enjoyed all of the following: alpaca, llama, anticuchos (beef heart kebabs that tasted just like normal steak to me) and guinea pig (cuy). I recommend pisco sours, and if you see coca sours on the menu, those are pisco sours made with coca-infused pisco, so a good one for bragging rights at home. ;) Chicha morada is a tasty non-alcoholic drink. The major soda, Inka Kola, is neon-yellow, ubiquitous and disgusting, but maybe worth a try.
I wish I could recommend specific restaurants, but my usual style is just to wander around until I find somewhere that looks good. Cusco is fairly compact, and the Miraflores district of Lima has some nice places. If you want non-ethnic food in Cusco, there’s a great Australian-owned cafe with nice breakfasts… I think it’s called Jack’s or something. But if you’re only there for a short time, I would have some of the yummy and varied Peruvian food. Walking around food markets is fun, too, if you get any spare time — there is a big one in Cusco.
Have a great trip!
Sarah
I’m on the fence about these shoes. I love to stay current, but aren’t sneakers supposed to be comfortable? Isn’t that the whole point of them? Why are we adding the most uncomfortable feature of women’s shoes to the MOST comfortable women’s shoe? It boggles the mind. That being said, I might try them…
Though I have to say I cannot wait for sandal weather to hit Seattle! I bought some really cute new sandals at http://www.GreatSandals.com and cannot wait to break them out!
seo Welwyn Garden City
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